A blog about Irish Lighthouses past and present and other selected maritime beacons and buoys of interest

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Wyon Point

And so to the final lighthouse on my North coast day out - Wyon (or Wine) Point, marking the southern entrance to the Sound of Aran. Not a classic lighthouse, another white concrete hut, 16 feet tall, in fact but tricky to get to and an army protecting it from nosey lighthouse freaks.

I had tried to find this place eight years ago and failed miserably. You need to head to Maghery, west of Dungloe. On entering the village, take the innocuous looking turn to the right, keeping the sports pitch on your left hand side. This brings you onto Inishfree Island, which is not really an island at all. The road is extremely narrow and bendy and up and downy but keep going for about a half a mile (ignoring the turn to the left marked Cul de sac) until you come to a sort of a T-junction. I say "sort of" because, really, the only navigable road lies to the right. The 'road' to the left deteriorates into a minefield of potholes. Unfortunately, this is the road you want. Either leave your car by the house there and walk or do as I did and drive very slowly down it, praying hard you don't get a puncture. After about three hundred yards, you can go no further. There is a barbed wire fence which opens when you unhook the string from the wooden post (don't forget to replace it!)Nearly there? Yup, the top of the hut can be seen over the brow of the small hill, guarded by the stupidest cows you ever met. Most cows when confronted by a jackeen shouting, "Heeargghhhh!" will turn around and amble off. Not these babies. They try and stare you down.

Anyway, if you can do an Indiana, its only about 300 yards to the hut.

54° 56.5´ N
8° 27.3´ W, if that's any help. The light characteristic is Fl.(2)W.R.G.
period 10s and it stands 25 feet above sea level. It has stood here since 1905.

About Me

I work in a warehouse which as you can imagine is very stimulating. I follow Shelbourne FC and football in general. Happily married for over 20 years to Monica with two great no-longer kids, Louise and Neil.
I mainly write humorous verse but have written serious verse, a book of essays, a novel and a biography. But still can't put up a shelf.